novelNo matter what you call a flower, its color never changes (5)
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Chapter 100: Chapter 100 No matter what you call a flower, its color never changes (5)
With a bright smile, she guaranteed him that she would not. With a reluctant expression, he handed the reins to her and climbed on behind her. Lard didn't have a fond memory of the place.
"I promise you. I won't go to Devita Boulevard."
When she shouted 'Giddy-up!', Balos began to gallop at full speed. She drove Balos towards the Buttuwat River. The dazzling sun glided smoothly over Balos' brown fur.
Shortly afterwards, the scent of fresh water carried on the wind tickled her nose. Wendy speeded up in excitement.
Near the Buttuwat River, there were blue forget-me-nots here and there, shining in the sun. The energy of the early summer was all over the river. The dark green of Rainy Forest in the distance blended well with the blue river, shining dazzlingly. She narrowed her eyes to the dazzling light emitted by the waves.
"Whoa, whoa!"
Catching her rough breath, she turned her head as if he was checking for Lard's safety.
"The way you ride is still reckless. I don't think anybody can beat you at horse riding, " he said, as if he was dumbfounded.
She laughed at his ambiguous remarks, which could be taken as compliment or an insult then nudged his chest lightly with her elbow.
Getting off the horse, the two walked along the river. She picked up several forget-me-nots and held them in one hand. Looking at the flowers in her hand, which had obviously withered and bloomed again, he asked, "What is the name of the flower?"
"Forget-me-nots. I think you have become sharply interested in plants these days."
"... Because you're interested."
She was pleasantly surprised by his casual response, who would not have said anything like that in the past. The wind blowing through her neck rang like a pulse.
"... Has there been any progress in the investigation?" She asked about the explosion incident at the palace to calm down.
He was watching her all along.
"I heard you're having difficulties with the investigation... Oops!"
While trying to avoid his gaze, she stumbled and almost tipped over. As she cried out, staggering, he quickly wrapped her in his arms.
"... It's not an easy investigation, " he said slowly, holding her in his arm.
She was not sure if what he said was about the investigation itself or something else.
When she looked up, his face was closer to her. She could not move at all as if she had a bowl full of water in her hand. Her heart was beating irregularly.
"...What do you mean?" He was looking into her dark eyes when she asked.
"You will never know how hard it is to recite the knights' code of conduct while looking at you..."
She could not understand what he was talking about. She made eye contact with him, her eyes trembling.
"I've learned how to control my emotions a long time ago. But I find myself forgetting how when I'm with you." He looked at her as if he didn't know what to do."...Can I kiss you?"
She didn't know how to respond when she looked into his ash eyes, which seemed to appeal to her not to refuse. She couldn't avoid his gaze like the moonlight filled with the empty field.
She raised her hand to his cheek. Clouds passed over their heads, creating shade for a moment. He kissed her palm. He smelled of grass from it.
She felt as though her whole body was aroused as if the ripples of the river were rolling around her body. Standing on her toes, she lifted her head. He leaned over and put his lips on hers.
The moment he kissed her, she closed her eyes. She saw the dark green afterimage of Rainy Forest in the distance. The background she saw behind his earlobe was beautiful.
Their kiss was long.
He kissed her as if he were dealing with the most valuable person in his life. He didn't feel lonely at all despite the passing of the loney wind.
He reluctantly ended the kiss as slowly as possible. Looking at each other for a while, the two began to walk hand in hand. Her hair, swept by the wind, touched his shoulder several times. He liked it.
As if all the words they had been speaking until now in their lives were useless, they were silent. Although they kept silent, they knew they didn't need to speak as if they already listened to what they had to.
The two continued to walk on that day until Balos, tied up in the distance, neighed loudly out of boredom.
The next day Cheddar Palace, Isaac's new residence after his palace was destroyed by the explosion, was disturbed early in the morning. As the two men were engaged in sparring with the swords in the central hall of the palace, the servants and maids looked at them from a distance. The sound of swords clinking against each other resonated throughout the hall.
"Sir Schroder! Slow down!"
"Your left side is vulnerable."
Lard's sword aimed at Isaac's right side relentlessly. Although Isaac barely blocked his sword, Lard instantly pointed the tip of his sword at his right shoulder. Frightened, the prince stepped back and fell on his buttocks.
"Oops... Sir Schroder, did you forget I'm a patient? The wound on my shoulder still hurts. Isn't aiming at it cowardly?"
"Wasn't your left shoulder the one that was injured? I heard from the royal doctor that the wound on your shoulder was already healed, " he calmly said with a blank expression.
"By the way, why are you so mean to me suddenly? Is it because of what happened yesterday? I promised you that I wouldn't visit her again. right?"
Lard's sharp eyes sparkled at his excuses.
"I didn't know that you were so poor in swordsmanship, Your Majesty. Don't you think you have to develop fencing skills well enough to defend yourself? Let me rebuke Sir Besha, who was in charge of training you. I will also pay the price for neglecting your progress by sparring with you every morning."
"So, are you going to harass me every day from now on?"
"How could I harass you? I'm doing this only for your progress. Please don't get me wrong as I am willingly taking time out for you."
"I didn't know that you were such a cunning guy who paid lip service without changing your facial expressions at all. I can't have my hands calloused from sparring with you for useless purposes. I mean the calluses that don't really help me play the violin at all. Huh? Please don't do this to me."
"I think you have keenly felt the need to learn swordsmanship. Please remember the day when your palace collapsed. Please stand up."
"I'm not a knight. I'm the Crown Prince of the Benyahan Empire!"
"Yes. That's why you should train all the more. What the people expect of you is not weakness."
Despite the prince's attempts to appease and bluff, Lard was still ready to charge toward him.
Reluctantly, the prince raised his body. He knew early on that Lard was an inflexible guy, and he knew that Lard would give him such a hard time with swordsmanship. The prince sighed, frowning in frustration.
"Yes, I have to reap the seeds I sowed."
Resigned to the situation, Issac took the offensive first with a fierce look.
But his aggressive move failed even before he attacked Lard with the sword several times.
"Ugh!" The prince dropped the sword, with a moan.
The sound of his sword falling on the floor with a clicking noise was heard loudly.
He wrapped his head with both hands.
"What the heck are you doing?!" Hitting the back of his head with the sword handle, Lard coldly, "You're wielding the sword randomly. You're wielding it as if you have never learned the basics of cutting and stabbing. If you wield the sword like that, you are exposed to the enemy's attack."
"Sir Schroder, did you forget who I am? How come you are so rude to me?"
As if the back of his head hurt so much, the prince shouted with an angry voice.
He had tears welled in his eyes, which he didn't intend at all. He was begrudged all the more when he recalled that he had been hit by Lard in the past while sparring.
"You're the crown prince of the Benyamin Empire Isaac von Benyahan. Think of what would have happened if it had been the blade, not a wooden handle, that touched the back of your head. Have you forgotten that you have the duty of defending the empire? How can you protect so many people when you can't protect your own life?"
"Sir Schroder!"
"You must hold your sword more firmly. And wield your sword against the forces that threaten the empire."
Lard picked up the sword that the prince dropped on the floor. As if to examine the blade of the sword, Lard gave it a thorough look and said, "But you should sharpen it after considering carefully who you are going to aim at. If you wield it wrong, you will hurt not only your opponent, but also yourself all the more"
The prince silently looked up at him. He clearly knew what Lard was trying to say.
"As a citizen of the Benyamin Empire, I support you."
Lard grabbed the other side of the sword and gave it to the prince.
"But..."
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